Golf club head and novel method of producing same

ABSTRACT

A plastic golf club head is formed in two major parts, a body member and a face plate. Complementary dove-tail members are provided on the body member and face plate so that the face plate may be founded by sliding it onto the body member. To prevent movement therebetween when in position, a plastic insert plug is inserted in channels provided in both the body member and face plate in mutual registry. One or more plugs and complementary channels may be utilized. The plugs may be of any desired crosssection. However, when only one plug is utilized, it should preferably have a non-circular cross-section such as rectangular to prevent rotational movement of the face plate. Where two or more plugs are utilized, they may be of any cross-section. A screw is inserted through the body member and engaged in a threaded means provided either in the insert plug or in the body member. The structure permits ready changing of the face plate to provide the club head with various striking contours and angles. The insert plugs are preferably of the same cross-section as the entry ducts of the mold used for molding of the plastic heads, so that the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;trees&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; from molding of the heads may be used for insert plugs.

United States Patent Hardesty 154] GOLF CLUB HEAD AND NOVEL METHOD OFPRODUCING SAME [72] Inventor: Benjamin T. Hardesty, Fairlawn Village,

Ohio

[73] Assignee: Shakespeare Company, Kalamazoo, Mich.

[22] Filed: Nov. 13, 1969 [21} Appl.No.: 871,291

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 667,991, June 15,1967, Pat. No.

[ 51 May 2, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATlONS 427,521 4/1935GreatBritain ....273/79 963,652 7/1964 Great Britain ..273/l73 [5 7]ABSTRACT A plastic golf club head is formed in two major parts, a bodymember and a face plate. Complementary dove-tail members are provided onthe body member and face plate so that the face plate may be founded bysliding it onto the body member. To prevent movement therebetween whenin position, a plastic insert plug is inserted in channels provided inboth the body member and face plate in mutual registry. One or moreplugs and complementary channels may be utilized. The plugs may be ofany desired cross-section. However, when only one plug is utilized, itshould preferably have a non-circular crosssection such as rectangularto prevent rotational movement of the face plate. Where two or moreplugs are utilized, they may be of any cross-section. A screw isinserted through the body member and engaged in a threaded meansprovided either in the insert plug or in the body member. The structurepermits ready changing of the face plate to provide the club head withvarious striking contours and angles. The insert plugs are preferably ofthe same cross-section as the entry ducts of the mold used for moldingof the plastic heads, so that the *trees" from molding of the heads maybe used for insert plugs.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 3,659,855

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented May 2, 1972 3 Sheets-Sheet B Patented May 2,1972 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Thisapplication is a division of U.S. Ser. No. 667,991, filed on Sept. 1967,now U.S. Pat No. 3,547,445.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Golf club heads of the wood type, i.e.,drivers, brassies and spoons, have in the past been manufactured ofwood. Golfers of the so-colled duffer" type generally purchase suchclubs with pre-formed faces of standard slant or pitch and utilize themwithout modification. However, golfers of the expert, professional orsemi-professional classes are not satisfied with the standard pitchesprovided by the manufacturer and invariably require that the pitch orcurvature of the club be tailored to suit their tastes and style ofplay. In the case of clubs actually made of wood, the striking face maybe altered by grinding or sanding to the proper pitch, and the finish ofthe face subsequently restored without difficulty. More recently, golfclubs of the wood type have been formed of moldable plastic materials.Such clubs have the advantage that they are more economical, strongerand more readily shaped since they may be formed automatically accordingto predetermined dimensions and forms. These clubs are suitable for useby those golfers who do not require re-working of the club face to theirspecifications. However, it has been found that clubheads molded ofplastic materials, and particularly those containing glass fibersdisposed through the plastic cannot be readily altered in pitch or shapeof the striking face by simple processes as described above, since it isextremely difficult to restore a suitable finish to the altered surfacein the plastic material after grinding or sanding. Moreover, to providepremolded clubs in all the various ranges of pitch and shape required byexpert golfers would be prohibitively expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide a golfclub head of the wood type which may be molded fromsuitable plastic materials. It is a further object to provide a golfclub head of the type described comprised of a body member and a faceplate, which face plate may be inexpensively molded in a large number ofvarious pitches and contours and which face plate may be readily affixedto the body member or detached therefrom. It is a further object toprovide a golf club of the structure described wherein the face platemay be securely affixed to the body portion by means of plastic plugs.It is an additional object to provide such a structure which isrelatively inexpensive to produce. Additional objects will be apparentto one skilled in the art and still others will become apparenthereinafter.

According to the invention, a mold is provided having a mold cavity inwhich a body member for a golf club head of the wood type may be molded.A channel is provided in the body member into which a plug may beinserted. The inlet duct leading to the cavity mold is so dimensionedthat the tree" resulting from the molding process has a cross-sectionaldimension adapted to serve as the plug and to be inserted in the channelprovided in the body member. A face plate is also molded from a suitableplastic. During the molding processes, the face plate and the bodymember are provided with complementary dove-tail members horizontallydisposed. The club head is assembled by sliding the face plate laterallyonto the body member while engaging the dove-tail members. The plasticinsert plug formed from the mold tree and cut to proper length isinserted through complementary channels provided in both the face plateand body member. The plug is affixed to the body member by suitablescrew means. The resulting structure is a golf club head having aremovable face plate which may be molded to the proper pitch andcontour, and which may be readily affixed in place and securely held,and readily removed and replaced by face plates of other pitches andcontours.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention in its preferredembodiment is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the golf club head of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing modified means for affixingthe face plate.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the golf club head of FIG. 4

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a club head similar to that ofFIGS. 4 and 5, but having plugs of modified cross-section.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of still another embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 8 is a top view of the golf club head of FIG. 7

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference is now made to theaccompanying drawings for a better understanding of the invention,wherein all the parts are numbered and wherein the same numbers are usedto refer to the same parts throughout.

In FIGS. 1-3 the club comprises a body member 40 having a shank 41, ashaft channel 42 and a binding 43. A face plate 44 is mounted on thebody member by means of complementary dove-tail members 45, 46, and 47.A rectangular plug 48 is inserted in complementary channels 49 and 50provided in the face plate 44 and body member 40, respectively. In thisembodiment the plug is maintained in place by means of a screw 51disposed in channel 52 provided in the rear of the body member 40 andengaged in either threads or a threaded insert provided in the end ofthe plug 48.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate forms of the embodiment of FIGS. l-3 but usingmodified plug means. In FIGS. 4 and 5 two rectangular plugs 53 and 54are utilized in spaced-apart relationship. Alternatively, plugs 55 and56 of circular cross-section as shown in FIG. 6 may be used, as canplugs of any of a large number of cross-sectional forms such as oval,triangular, etc. The remainder of the structure of FIGS. 4-6 issubstantially the same and comprises a body member 60, face plate 61,complementary dove-tail members 62, 63 and 64 and screws 65 and 66retaining the plugs 53 and 54, or 55 and 56, respectively.

Still another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. This embodiment issimilar to that of FIGS. I-3. In the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, theclub head comprises a body member 70, a shank 72, and a binding 73. Aface plate 74 is mounted on the body member 70 by means of complementarydove-tail members 75, 76, and 77. An insert plug 78 is slideablypositioned within a channel 79 provided in the body member 70 and apartial channel 80 provided in the face plate 74. The channel 79 shouldbe at least as long as the insert plug 78 so that, prior to assemblingthe face plate, the plug may be entirely contained within the channel toa sufficient depth so that the end 81 of the plug is recessed below orflush with the end of the body member 70. This permits the face plate tobe mounted on the body member by means of the dove-tail members withoutbeing impeded by the plug. In order to position the plug in place toengage the face plate, a screw 82 is provided which is positioned in asuitable channel in the body member and engaging a screw insert 83mounted in an enlarged channel 84 provided in the body member 70.

To mount the face plate, the screw is retracted until the end 81 of theplug 78 has receded into the channel 79 so that said end no longerprotrudes. The face plate is then mounted in a manner similar to thatdescribed with respect to the other embodiments. The screw 82 is thenturned inwardly until it forces the plug 78 into the channel 80 providedin the face plate, thereby affixing the face plate in place. It is ofcourse understood that plugs modified in form or number, as describedabove with regard to the previous embodiments, may also be utilized withrespect to the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8.

The body member of the invention may be formed of any moldable plasticmaterial, such as phenolic molding compounds, polypropylene,polycarbonate resins, epoxy resins, polyester resins, polyurethaneresins, and many others known in the art. In order to enhance thestrength of the body member, a molding compound containing randomlydispersed glass fibers may be utilized. Since, in the preferred methodfor forming the present golf club heads, the plugs are formed of thetrees or flashing left over in the molding process, they will of coursebe of the same material as the body member. However, plugs may be formedseparately and may then be of any suitable material, not necessarily thesame as that of the body member.

The face plate may be molded of the same material as the body member,or, alternatively, may be molded of a different compound. The materialpreferably but not necessarily contains glass fibers randomly disposedto increase the impact resistance of the material.

The golf club head of the present invention has many advantages overthose known in the art. It has advantages over wooden heads in beingstronger, less subject to cracking and chipping, and more readilyprepared by molding. It has a number of advantages over even prior artclub heads made of plastic materials in that an entire detachable faceplate is provided which is sufficiently inexpensive so that it may bemolded by the manufacturer in a large variety of pitches and shapes. Thecorrect preformed pitch may be chosen by the expert golfer, obviatingthe need for grinding the club head to the proper pitch. This isextremely important in the case of club heads made of plastic materials,since it is difficult to grind down such a club head and subsequentlyprovide a suitably finished surface. The invention provides a novelmeans for affixing the face plate to the body member by a combinationcomprising complementary dove-tail members and a plastic plug which issecured to the body member and disposed in a channel provided in theface plate and prevents movement of the face plate. Moreover, in theimproved method for forming the body member, the mold for forming thebody member is so arranged that the entry duct for the plastic materialis contoured to the same cross-sectional dimensions as the channel whichis provided in the body member for the plug, and the plug may then beformed from the tree as a by-product of the molding process, thusreducing the cost of the plug.

The plug may be formed in any desirable shape. When a single plug isused it should preferably have a non-circular crosssection, as forexample rectangular, to prevent rotational movement of the face plate.Where two plugs are used, they may be of any shape, including circular,since the presence of two spaced-apart plugs will in itself preventrotational movement of the face plate. The end of the piug shouldpreferably complement the contour of the face plate in the embodimentsin which the plug end is exposed.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exactdetails of construction, operation, or exact materials or embodimentsshown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will beapparent to one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to belimited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A golf club head of the wood type having a body member and a faceplate each comprised of a plastic composition and contoured to providecomplementary dove-tail members slideably affixing said face plate tosaid body member, a solid insert plug slideably received in a channelprovided within said body member, said face plate being provided with arecess in coextensive relationship with said channel, said plug directlybut removably engaging the face plate in said recess and holding theface plate in place, and partially extending into said body member fromthe side thereof contiguous with said face plate; screw insert meanswithin said channel at a central portion of said body member; and screwmeans passing through said body member from the side thereof oppositethat con tiguous with said face plate and adapted to readedly engagesaid screw insert means and to hold said insert plug in engage ment withthe face plate.

2. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1 wherein said screw insertmeans is rigidly mounted in said channel; said face plate is providedwith a recess on the back side thereof; one end of said solid insertplug is adapted to removably engage with said recess; and said screwmeans is adapted to hold said solid insert plug in substantialengagement with said recess.

3. A golf club head in accordance with claim 2 wherein said insert plughas a rectangular cross-section.

4. A golf club head in accordance with claim 3 having at least twoinsert plugs slideably received in their respective channels.

5. A golf club head in accordance with claim 2 wherein said insert plughas a round cross-section.

6. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1 wherein said screw insertmeans is situated in said solid insert plug and engages with said screwmeans; said recess in the face plate is provided with an openingtransversely there through, and said solid insert plug is slideablyreceived by said channel through said face plate and having an outer endsubstantially flush therewith.

7. A golf club head in accordance with claim 6 wherein said insert plughas a rectangular cross-section.

1. A golf club head of the wood type having a body member and a faceplate each comprised of a plastic composition and contoured to providecomplementary dove-tail members slideably affixing said face plate tosaid body member, a solid insert plug slideably received in a channelprovided within said body member, said face plate being provided with arecess in coextensive relationship with said channel, said plug directlybut removably engaging the face plate in said recess and holding theface plate in place, and partially extending into said body member fromthe side thereof contiguous with said face plate; screw insert meanswithin said channel at a central portion of said body member; and screwmeans passing through said body member from the side thereof oppositethat contiguous with said face plate and adapted to threadedly engagesaid screw insert means and to hold said insert plug in engagement withthe face plate.
 2. A golf club head in accordance with claim 1 whereinsaid screw insert means is rigidly mounted in said channel; said faceplate is provided with a recess on the back side thereof; one end ofsaid solid insert plug is adapted to removably engage with said recess;and said screw means is adapted to hold said solid insert plug insubstantial engagement with said recess.
 3. A golf club head inaccordance with claim 2 wherein said insert plug has a rectangularcross-section.
 4. A golf club head in accordance with claim 3 having atleast two insert plugs slideably received in their respective channels.5. A golf club head in accordance with claim 2 wherein said insert plughas a round cross-section.
 6. A golf club head in accordance with claim1 wherein said screw insert means is situated in said solid insert plugand engages with said screw means; said recess in the face plate isprovided with an opening transversely there through, and said solidinsert plug is slideably received by said channel through said faceplate and having an outer end substantially flush therewith.
 7. A golfclub head in accordance with claim 6 wherein said insert plug has arectangular cross-section.